Maisha Z. Johnson, writing for Everyday Feminism.
Say you’re a man who’s been successful in a competitive STEM field. You’re happy with the money and recognition you’ve earned, feeling proud of your hard work, and then somebody tells you that your male privilege has helped you get to where you are today.
You cringe at the implications – are they saying you haven’t worked hard for what you have? Or that you should feel guilty about your good fortune?
No. It’s true that sexist ideas discourage girls and women from STEM subjects, giving you more access to your field than a woman has.
But that doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve your success. It means that everyone deserves the access you have, regardless of gender.
Nobody should be discouraged or excluded from any field because of who they are.
I drafted four different excerpts from this article before finally throwing my hands up in the air. It’s perhaps the most honest take on privilege I’ve read yet.